Jide Abasiri Jide Abasiri 6'6" | 290 lbs | DL Prior Lake | 2024 State MN – our seventh-ranked player coming out of the 2024 class – committed early to the Minnesota Gophers. The 6’6″ 290 Prior Lake Laker big man took a few minutes to talk about what he has been up to this offseason and his plans for this summer.

How did your junior football season go?rnI had a decent season. Things could have gone better – obviously – things I could have improved on and gotten more work in. I could have gotten in the weight room more this season. Overall, being able to take on double teams and putting pressure on the quarterback were my biggest assets this season. I played mostly at defensive end in our 3-4 defense, but they did have me in the interior quite a bit.

What have you been doing this off-season?rnI have been working out a lot. Since the summer started, I have been doing four workouts a day. I do strength training through our high school in the morning. We have agility practice, and then I go into wrestling practice. Then I have a couple of hours of downtime before I go to a strength and speed training place in Lakeville. Usually, after that, I go to throwing practice.

Athletically, what did you do in the winter and spring seasons?rnWrestling season went well. I started wrestling to get better at football, but I fell in love with the sport. I am best on the bottom – I feel I can get out faster than most heavyweights. On my feet – with my length, I am able to get to the legs and have good shot defense. With track, I started doing it just because I thought I should, but I started to like that too. I throw mostly discus.

Skill-wise, what have you been working on?rnI have been focusing on my overall knowledge of the game – being able to read plays, my keys, the offensive linemen, recognizing different kinds of blocks and how to defeat them.

What are your thoughts on the recruiting process?rnI didn’t really like the recruiting process, to be honest. I didn’t like traveling around. All the attention was an uncomfortable situation for me. When the Gophers were recruiting me, I enjoyed the coaches and the culture of the program.

Why did you commit so early?rnI committed early because I didn’t think there was anywhere else that would fit me as well as the Gophers. The more I got on campus, the more I realized it was the right fit for me.

Who else were you considering, and what separated Minnesota?rnI was considering Washington and Missouri. What separated Minnesota was how they wanted to develop me.

The menace of the midway himself, Jide Abasiri Jide Abasiri 6'6" | 290 lbs | DL Prior Lake | 2024 State MN causes mass disruption on the field thanks to his length, athleticism, and instincts. His 6-foot-6, 260 pound frame is both strong and long, and one of his biggest assets is the ability to spread his arms out wide and swat down passes intended for receivers going up the middle. He knows when to engage or when to keep his blocker at a distance, and this high IQ play style allows him to be right at the center of practically every play. In fact, I saw him chase down a sweeping running back while he was at nosetackle. Clearly, Abasiri can do it all, and the Minnesota Gophers are likely thrilled he committed to stay home and play ball at the U.

If we’re talking upside and potential, Prior Lake’s DL Jide Abasiri would be ranked #1. The 6’5, 260 lber. only began playing football as a freshman but became a bona fide P5 prospect this fall when Iowa State hit the Land of 10,000 Lakes hard on the recruitment trail and reached out with some game-changing Big12 offers for MN juniors. Abasiri was one of the players to receive a Cyclones offer in that rush of scholarships, but people locked into Minnesota’s recruiting scene saw this one coming for a while, as you don’t see the mix of size and athleticism in sophomores every day or even every cycle. Also a strong wrestler on the Lakers 3A squad, Abasiri followed up the Iowa State offer with Kansas State, Kansas, Minnesota, Central Michigan, Washington, Ohio, and Mizzou opportunities since September and is a big name to watch when talking Golden Gophers recruiting. This past season, Abasiri got reps as both a 3T and DE and used a variety of exciting means to beat blocks as a junior. With outstanding length, he can keep opponents at bay when he fully extends those long arms, and is strong and proficient in his hand usage from that wrestling background to then easily shuck or toss opponents aside depending on the situation. He also does a good job of getting skinny through gaps, has a powerful first step, and is fun to watch pursue and chase plays flat down the LOS from the backside. He’s only beginning to scratch the surface of his potential and has the chance to be an absolute monster with more reps, coaching, and work in the weight room. Going into only his fourth year of football this upcoming fall Mr. Abasiri finds himself as PrepRedzoneMN’s 7th overall prospect in the class of 2024. You gotta love it!